The Blood Card: Stephens and Mephisto

Elly Griffiths is the bestselling author of the Dr Ruth Galloway Mysteries and the Brighton Mysteries. She has won the CWA Dagger in the Library, has been shortlisted four times for the Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year, and longlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger for The Lantern Men. Her new series featuring Detective Harbinder Kaur began with The Stranger Diaries, which was a Richard and Judy book club pick and won the Edgar Award for Best Novel in the USA. The Postscript Murders followed and was shortlisted for the CWA Gold Dagger. Elly lives near Brighton with her archaeologist husband and their cat, Gus.

"Griffiths excels at depicting the post-WWII transition from variety shows to television. A love triangle involving Holmes, Stephens, and aspiring magician Ruby French, the detective’s fiancée and Mephisto’s daughter, adds a human interest angle likely to engage both series fans and new readers."--Publishers Weekly   "Amusing, atmospheric, and thoroughly engaging, providing an insightful look at vaudeville and the art of legerdemain. Perfect for fans of the eccentric (and often endearing) characters created by Simon Brett and Christopher Fowler."--Booklist   "In the third case for the Magic Men (Smoke and Mirrors, 2016, etc.), half the fun is the journey through postwar England to the surprising denouement."--Kirkus Reviews   PRAISE FOR THE MAGIC MEN MYSTERIES:     “Absorbing…Another great series.” —San Jose Mercury News     “Thoroughly enjoyable.” —The Guardian     “Clever, immensely likeable.” —The Wall Street Journal     “Enormously engaging.” —The Daily Mail     “Original, lively, and gripping.” —The Independent     “A wild ride full of mayhem, magic and murder.” —The Absolute     “Excellent…Evoking both the St. Mary Mead of Agatha Christie and the theater world Ngaio Marsh.” —Booklist      “Suspenseful.” —Publishers Weekly —